By Gerry W. Beyer
Hey all you cool cats and kittens! Episode 3 of the recent Netflix hit Tiger King focused on the disappearance of the husband of the protagonist’s arch-enemy. Joe Exotic was sentenced to federal prison for animal abuse and his part in a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin. Baskin’s former husband, millionaire Don Lewis, disappeared in 1997 and was declared dead in 2002. Though the man had a will and a trust for his children from a prior marriage, the episode insinuated that the documents were fraudulently altered.
According to the documentary, Lewis sought an injunction against Baskin after she allegedly threatened to kill him, possibly even for a second time. The adult children from his prior marriage claim that there was talk of divorce and suggested that Lewis had attempted to arrange his affairs to minimize any entitlement of Baskin when they separated. The episode also claimed that Lewis gave his assistant, Anne McQueen, an envelope that contained his will and power of attorney, naming McQueen as his agent and executor. The assistant also said that Lewis had told her to take the envelope to the police is anything should befall him. Supposedly, Baskin broke into the office and took the documents before presenting a different will and power of attorney to the court, with her as the agent and executor.
This new power of attorney indicated that it was prepared by Baskin and contained an eyebrow raising line: “This durable family power of attorney shall not be affected by any disability or disappearance.” In most jurisdictions, proof of the person’s death, either in the form of a death certificate or court order, is required in order to obtain probate and proceed to administer the estate. McQueen claims that Baskin filed for a court order to declare Lewis death “immediately” after the statutory five year period.
To learn more about Estate Planning, we encourage you to register for one of our FREE Estate Planning Webinars! Sign up HERE.
Enjoy Reading “The Tiger King and an Unexpected Lesson on Estate Planning”? Check out our previous post: New Traditions for the Hereafter
For more information about The Hayes Law Firm, visit our Google My Business page.
This website is not intended to be a source of solicitation or legal advice. General information is made available for educational purposes only. The information on this blog is not an invitation for an attorney-client relationship, and website should not be used to substitute for obtaining legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. Please call us at (626) 403-2292 if you wish to schedule an appointment for a legal consultation.
- Avoid These Top Trust Problems - September 18, 2023
- Should I Leave My Child A Buck? - September 12, 2023
- For Estate Planning, Try FIRE - September 12, 2023
Office hours
Map
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. The information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.